Transfer station for handling refuse



Dec. 24, 1968 w. M. FELTS 3,417,883

TRANSFER STATION FOR HANDLING REFUSE Filed Oct. 51, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

WALLACE M. FEL TS INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y Dec. 24, 1968 w. M. FELTS 3,417,883

TRANSFER STATION FOR HANDLING REFUSE Filed Oct. 31. 1966 4 She'ets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4.

FIG. 5.

FIG. 2.

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WALLACE M. FELTS INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y Dec. 24, 1968 w. M. FELTS TRANSFER STATION FOR HANDLING REFUSE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 31. 1966 N at WALLACE M. FELTS INVENTQR.

ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mm mm B WALLACE M. FELTS ATTOME Y Dec. 24, 1968 w. M. FELTS TRANSFER STATION FOR HANDLING REFUSE Filed on. 31, 1966 x 3 k IPIII, 3 Nu m .8 I a M a Q A Nn Tux 4. x: F

mm b 1 ll United States Patent 3,417,883 TRANSFER STATION FOR HANDLING REFUSE Wallace M. Felts, Fort Worth, Tex., assignor to Fruehauf Trailer Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 590,885 1 Claim. (Cl. 21441) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A transfer station for handling refuse including upper and lower levels one above the other, upper and lower roadways connected with said upper and lower levels for accommodating collecting vehicles and transfer vehicles respectively thereon, and a hopper, the upper end of which hopper opens through said upper level and in line with said upper roadway, the lower end of said hopper being in line with the lower roadway and terminating a distance thereabove to accommodate a transfer vehicle therebeneath.

This invention relates to hauling refuse, particularly trash and garbage. The primary object of the invention is to provide a rapid transfer system whereby refuse collected by trucks may be transferred at a transfer station to much larger trailers and then hauled to a dumping ground or incinerator. Heretofore, each refuse collecting truck made a trip to the dumping ground when loaded and then returned to its route, during which time the truck was not serving its primary purpose, that is, collecting refuse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible rapid transfer system for handling refuse. The requirements of a small city are not the same as those of a large one. Thus, as a city grows, larger and heavier equipment is required and the equipment of the invention is designed so that it may be modified and enlarged without complete replacement of components.

A further object is to reduce the cost of equipment. This is accomplished, in part, by having separate hydraulic power units at the transfer stations, dumping grounds or incinerators instead of mounting complete power units on the transfer trailers. However, as a modified form of the invention, the engine of the tractor of the trailer may be used for ejecting the load.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the collecting truck will not necessarily have to turn or back into position at the transfer station.

An additional object of the invention is to provide refuse transfer means which is not likely to spill refuse during the transfer operation.

A further object is to provide means whereby an operator at an upper level may operate a packer blade in a transfer trailer at a lower level in addition to operating upper level mechanisms.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is 'a perspective view of a typical transfer station according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a transfer trailer and separate mobile hydraulic unit. The packer and ejecting blade and the hydraulic cylinder are shown by dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational end view of a stationary hopper as employed in a preferred form of the invention. The raised position of an optional hopper cover is shown by dotted lines.

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of a stationary power unit such as used at a transfer station.

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FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a trailer towing tractor and showing, schematically, a power take-off for driving a pump. A control panel is shown between the pump and the tractor cab.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of transfer trailer at a dump ground.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic diagram of a typical hydraulic system at a transfer station, and

FIGURE 8 is a wiring diagram of the circuits used in connection with the hydraulic system shown in FIG- URE 7.

A transfer station may be designed for one, two or more lanes of trafiic, the upper lanes crossing or are otherwise above the lower lanes. As shown in FIGURE 1, there are two upper and two lower lanes and the arrangement of components to be described is such that collecting trucks CT may move in opposite directions by keeping to the right of each other. The collecting trucks CT are conventional and have hydraulically actuated packer blades and vertically hinged rear doors, not shown. As the refuse is collected from place to place, the blade compacts it toward and against the rear doors. When ready to empty, the truck doors are opened and the blade ejects the refuse, or the trucks may be tilted to eject the refuse.

The transfer station has upper and lower levels 10 and 11, one above the other, and have upper and lower ramps 12 and 13 at right angles to each other.

An important feature of the invention has to do with hoppers 14 in the upper level 10 and hinged covers 15 over the hoppers. In this arrangement, the trucks CT are driven over the covers 15 and then stopped for ejecting the loads. The hinges 16 (FIGURE 7) are on the sides of the covers 15 opposite the ends of the stopped trucks so as to accommodate and direct the ejected load. Tread channels 17 may be provided across the tops of the covers 15 to guide the wheels of the trucks CT. Also shown are parallel support beams 18 on the lower surfaces of the covers 15. As a safety feature, hinged blocks 19 may be provided in the surface of the upper level 10 between the rear Wheels of the trucks CT and the hoppers 14. The blocks 19 are not essential to the invention and, because their construction would be obvious, the same are not described in detail.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the hopper 14 is comprised of four vertical walls 20, inwardly slanting baffles 21 around their lower edges and stiffeners 22 of angle iron around the upper edges of the walls. The described hopper 14 is basic and, because it is open during transfer operations, a transfer trailer TT with open hatch H must be parked therebeneath at the time the load is ejected from the collecting truck CT. However, by means of hydraulically operated horizontal bulkheads 23 beneath the bottom opening of the hopper 14, the load may be retained until the transfer trailer TT arrives. To those versed in the art it will be obvious that a single bulkhead, not shown, will retain the load in the hopper, but two opposing independently operated bulkheads 23 working against the bottom of a central transverse divider 24 in the hopper are preferred. The bulkheads 23 are actuated by hydraulic cylinders 25 in frames 26 fore and aft of the hopper 14 and are slidably mounted at their sides in track channels 27 which are parts of the frames. A load ejected from the collecting truck is divided, somewhat evenly, by the divider 24. Thus, by opening and closing first one bulkhead 23 and then the other, the entire load is not dumped at one time into the transfer trailer, thereby reducing the possible spilling.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 6, a mobile power unit MP may be provided for unloading the transfer trailer TT. The mobile power unit consists of an engine Emounted on a wheeled frame F, a pump P driven by the 3 engine, the usual control switches, not shown, flexible hydraulic lines HL and a hydraulic control valve RV. A telescoping cylinder TC is longitudinally mounted in the transfer trailer TT and has a packer blade PB on its extending end. In its retracted position, the telescoping cylinder TC is nearly fully received in the gooseneck G of the trailer. The hydraulic lines HL are connected with lines, not shown, in the gooseneck G which extend to the cylinder TC in the usual manner. Quick connect couplings QC are used Where the lines connected at the gooseneck G. The mobile power unit MP and the trailer TT, by themselves are conventional and were not, therefore, described in greater detail. The use of letters herein for reference designates, in part, conventional equipment.

The transfer trailer tractor TTT shown in FIGURE 5 is a modification of the arrangement shown in FIG- URES 2 and 6. Instead of the mobile power unit MP, the pump P, hydraulic control valve RV and control panel CP are mounted on the tractor TTT. A shaft S driven by the tractor engines, not shown, drives the pump P by a belt B. As in FIGURES 2 and 6, the pump P, hydraulic control valve RV and hydraulic lines, not shown in FIGURE 5, are connected with the lines to the cylinder TC in the gooseneck G.

Referring again to FIGURES 1 and 3, and as also shown in FIGURE 7, the hinged covers are raised and lowered by pairs of telescoping hydraulic cylinders 28. The extending ends of the cylinders 28 are pivotally connected to ears 29 on the undersides of the covers 15 and the remaining ends are pivotally mounted on brackets 30 on opposite sides of the hoppers 14.

The hydraulic system illustrated in FIGURE 7 includes a motor driven pump 31 and a main valve, generally designated by the numeral 32. All parts shown within the dashed lines are components of a stationary power unit 33 on the upper level 10. The power unit 33 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, but the connecting hydraulic and electric lines are not illustrated in these views. Instead, the FIGURES 7 and 8 are herein referred to for that purpose.

The main valve 32 is of the open center double solenoid type having first and second four-way spools 34 and 35 which are normally centered in their cylinders by springs, not shown. Hydraulic fluid is pumped from a tank 36 through a main line 37 to manual valves 38, 39 and 40 for operating the hopper cover 15 and the respective bulkheads 23. The fluid channels of the spools 41, 42 and 43 of the manual valves 38, 39 and 40 are such that when the valves are in their normal or non-operating positions, the fluid of the main line 37 passes threrethrough and returns to the tank 36 by way of a main return line 44. The valves 39 and 40 for operating the bulkhead actuating cylinders are four-way valves and are connected with the latter by extend and retract lines 45 and 46. The valve 38 operating the cover actuating cylinder 28 is a three-Way valve and is connected with the latter by lines 47, only one of which is shown. The weight of the cover 15 returns the fluid in the same lines 47 when the valve 38 is set accordingly.

Within the main line 37 relatively near the motor driven pump 31 there is a spring loaded check valve 48, the purpose of which is to direct fluid under pressure to the first spool 34 of the main valve 32 by way of a pilot line 49. The first spool 34 is operated by solenoids 50R and 50P on the ends thereof, and other lines 51 connect the spool fluid channels, not numbered, with the ends of a cylinder 52 containing the second spool 35 to move the latter. Another line 53 connects the first spool 34 with the main return line 44 so as to provide relief at either end of the first spool.

The fluid channels of the second spool 35 are arranged to deliver fluid under pressure to the pack and retract lines 55 and 56 connected with the previously described hydraulic lines HL which are connected with the end of the trailer cylinder TC for operating the packer blade PB. A first auxiliary return line 57 connects the pack line 55 with the main return line 44. Within the auxiliary line 57, near the pack line 55, there is a normally closed pressure switch 58, and downstream of the pressure switch there is a normally closed two-way solenoid valve 59, herein referred to as the dump valve. The retract line 56 also has an auxiliary return line connected with the main return'line 44 and which auxiliary line includes a spring loaded pressure relief valve 60. Also shown in FIGURE 7, there is a relief valve 61 connected between the main line 37 and return line 44 downstream of the motor pump unit 31, and there is a pressure gage 62 in the main line between the last referred to relief valve and the check valve 48.

Referring now to FIGURE 8, a motor starter 63 is connected with a source of power by leads 64, with the motor pump unit 31 by leads 65 and with ground at 66. Two supply lines 67 and 68 extend from the motor starter 63 to circuits for operating the described hydraulic system. The first line 67 extends to a manual switch 69 and thence to the armature 70 of a relay 71. The coil 72 of the relay 71 is de-energized when the armature 70 is positioned as shown in the drawing and the armature makes contact with a line 73 to one pole 74 of a double limit switch 75. The limit switch 75 is normally extended, by spring action, not shown, to the position shown in the drawing. Similarly, the armature 70 is normally held in contact with the line 73 by spring action, not shown. Another line 76 contacts the same pole 74 and extends to the retract solenoid coil 50R in the main valve 32, and thence by another line 77 to a common ground 78.

By reference to the solenoid coil 50R in FIGURE 7 it will be seen that the described circuit retracts the pusher blade PB. The two-way solenoid or dump valve 59 is connected lIl parallel with the retract solenoid coil 50R by lines 79; thus, when the pusher blade PB is retracting, the first auxiliary hydraulic return line 57 (FIGURE 7) is open. When the pusher blade PB is nearly fully retracted, a cam 80 thereon throws the limit switch 75 and causes the second pole 81 thereof to contact the line 68 and another line 82 to an indicator light 83. The circuit to the light 83 is completed by a line 84 to a ground line 85. Thus, the operator on the upper level 10 will know when the pusher blade PB in the transfer trailer IT below is retracted. When the first pole 74 of the limit switch 75 opens the retracting action of the blade PB stops because the retract coil 50R is then de-energized.

The packing operation is started by closing a normally open push button switch 86. The switch 86 is included in a line 87 connected with the first described supply line 67, and line 87 extends to the coil 72 of the relay 71. Another line 88 is connected with the line 87 between the switch 86 and the relay coil 72 and connects with the pack solenoid coil 50P in the main valve 32, and thence to ground line 78. When the relay coil 72 is energized, the armature 70 of the relay is repelled and breaks contact with the line 73 to the limit switch 77. Current passes through the relay coil 72 where it is connected with a line 89 which extends to one side of the normally closed pressure switch 58 after passing through a normally closed emergency switch 90. The remaining side of the pressure switch 58 is connected with ground 78 by a line 91. A line 92 is connected with the retract operation line 76, with a light 93 and to ground to indicate the blade retract operation. Similarly, a line 94 is connected with the pack operating line 87, a light 95 and to ground 85 to indicate the packing operation of the blade PB. When the armature 70 of the relay 71 is repelled by coil 72 and makes contact with line 87 it establishes an additional and parallel circuit through the coil 72, which latter additional circuit continues to energize coil 72 after the push button 86 is released. Release of the push button 86 does not break the circuit through relay coil 72 and this does not interrupt the supply current to coil SOP. The packing operation continues until the referred to predetermined pressure in the hydraulic pack line 55 is reached and opens the normally closed pressure switch 58, thus interrupting the circuit through coil 72. At this time, the relay coil 72 is de-energized and the spring loaded armature 70 contacts the line 73 and thereby starts and continues the retract operation of the blade PB as described in the foregoing. Either action of the blade PB may be stopped at any time by opening the switch 69. Packer blade PB may be reversed manually by opening the emergency switch 90 to break the circuit through relay coil 72. This last action has the same effect as opening the pressure switch 58.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary constructions herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

1. A transfer station for handling refuse including upper and lower levels one above the other, upper and lower roadways connected with said upper and lower levels for accommodating collecting vehicles and transfer 20 vehicles respectively thereon, said upper and lower roadways being at angles with respect to each other as viewed from above, and a hopper, the upper end of which hopper opens through said upper level and in line with said upper roadway, the lower end of said hopper being in line with said lower roadway and terminating a distance thereabove to accommodate a transfer vehicle therebeneath, and wherein said transfer vehicle has a hydraulically operated pusher blade therein, the construction including a stationary power unit on said upper level and including depending hydraulic lines for connection with and operating said pusher blade.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 784,465 3/1905 Anderson 21441 1,117,777 11/1914 Brown 214--41XR 3,013,675 12/1961 Schonrock 21441 3,059,789 10/1962 Bowles 21441 3,071,264 1/1963 Totaro et al 214-82 FOREIGN PATENTS 85,881 7/1955 Norway.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 214-82 

